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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: spell · rush · can · tear · ruler · fork · fine · trunk

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. rush — hurry
  5. spell — a short time
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. can — to be able to
  8. fine — all right
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. can — a tin
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. tear — from crying
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. spell — magic
  15. tear — from crying
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. spell — letters
  18. fine — high quality
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. tear — to rip

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com